It is questionable whether or not retrial after a hung jury is Constitutional. Nonetheless, in the United States today, it is generally permitted. If a mistrial occurs due to a hung jury, the prosecutor may decide to retry the case.
History: Federal Penitentiary. The army transferred Alcatraz to the civilian Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in 1934. The BOP quickly converted the aging military prison in to a maximum-security, state-of-the-art civilian penitentiary. Alcatraz would shortly become the most famous federal prison in United States history. Alcatraz was designed to serve as Americaâs first maximum-security, minimum-privilege penitentiary, what is today referred to as a âsuper maxâ institution. From 1934 to 1963, Alcatraz housed some of Americaâs most notorious offenders, escape artists, gang leaders and general trouble makers.
Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco Bay, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) offshore from the city. Often referred to as The Rock, the small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison (1868), and a federal prison from 1933 until 1963.